Strike Witch Wars
by IvoryMaster
Summary: Know your Enemies.


**The character list didn't have the characters I wanted to list, so here is the list**

 **Adolfine Galland, Atriox**

 **In anticipation for Halo Wars 2, I wanted to create a short story that involved the Strike Witches. One-shot.**

 **I do not own Strike Witches or the Halo franchise.**

The Gallian fields were once home to many farmlands that supplied foods for the country. People were overjoyed when they heard the news that Gallia has been liberated thanks to the efforts of the 501st Joint Fighter Wing. With much enthusiasm by the people who were driven from their homes, they eagerly relocated back to their homes and began reconstruction. Many farmers went back to the fields to start producing food for the war efforts. The Gallian people thought that the tide of the war has changed, but they were sorely mistaken. Now, the rolling, lush fields of Gallia that used to house so much vegetation were now dried-up chucks of dirt. The fields will once again witness war, but war never before witnessed.

The sound of tank tracks vibrated the area as hundreds of tanks rode across the devastated field. Multiple model of tanks such as M4 Sherman Tanks, Panzerkampfwagen E-100, T-34s, and many more were only the few tanks that made up the entire tank population. Seeing that this part of Gallia consisted of flat lands, everywhere one turned, one could see tanks as far as the eye can see as they drove to their destinations. Accompanied by the tanks were not only squadrons of mundane soldiers from various countries carrying machine guns and rifles, but dozens, if not hundreds, of land witches from various countries carrying various anti-tank weaponry ranging from the Liberion 57mm M1 Anti-tank gun to the Karlsland 5 cm PaK 38. The expressions on almost all of these land witches were that of distraught; a quiet sadness as they went with their fellow soldiers to the battlefield. Included in also with the tank witches was also the legendary Mark VI Extra Heavy Tracked Land Striker Units, otherwise known as Tigers. By just having one of these legendary units around, it would strike confidence and boost morality of anybody that is around, even to the regular armies. One soldier has commented that one of these units could take on three land Neuroi at the same time. These units were the pride and joy of Karlsland, and there were several of these large units striding along with the hundreds of land witches. Each of these Tigers were escorted by 4 land witches serving as defense for the legendary unit. By this standard, the soldier and witches would be itching to go to battle by having multiple Tigers present in one battle, but that was quite the opposite effect. If multiple Tigers could not muster of enthusiasm, one has to question what these soldiers and witches are going up against, and why so many were needed for one battle? As for special units, the higher ups have gathered special witches with the Magic Eye power and had them stay back from the front lines as they would much better serve as snipers. Even farther back were the dozens of Artillery groups getting ready to rain down explosive shells onto the enemy. Other than the mood, the witches and soldiers were ready for a battle.

The skies were no different than the ground as the skies were covered by a cloak of hundreds of planes. Present in the skies were a mixture of Britannian Spitfires, Liberion Mustangs, Fuso Zeros, and many other model type of planes. Joining the hundreds of brave pilots were none other than the maidens of the skies, the Strike Witches. Hundreds of Witches gathered from all over Europe and North Afrika were relocated to Gallia by their higher ups to take part in this historic battle. Aces Like Hanna Marseille, the Star of Afrika, were ordered to relocate to Gallia, and joining her and many others just like her were the various Joint Fighter Wings like the 506th, 502nd, and of course, the 501st. Ace witches like them along with various other witches from around the continent would join forces and work together to defeat the enemy at hand. Considering the gathering of hundreds of withes from around the world, the enemy they are up against must be scathingly deadly.

Behind all the massive mobilization of various units, there stood one person on top of a hill watching all of this military movement transpire. She wore night-black boots along with block stockings reaching all the way up to her thighs. She wore a dark-brown coat and had a single GwZF4 sniper rifle scope necklace hanging in front of her in a form of a neckless. Her jet-black hair rode the winds as a sudden gentle gust blew past her. Air Marshall Adolfine Galland stood on top of that hill with her arms crossed watching the movements of various tanks and witches stride across burnt fields and empty villages with her light-blue eyes. She is not the type of person to sit out on a fight, even if she was at an advance age where her magic powers were very weak. She would join nonetheless and serve alongside her fellow witches in spite of the fact that she cannot raise a shield anymore, but she has her orders from the Supreme Commander himself that her talents were better used if she remained where she was, behind the lines of the battlefield to command the hundreds, if not thousands, of soldiers and witches under her command. There is some irritation as she truly wanted to be out there, but she has had sufficient time and came to understand what Supreme Commander Eisenhower wanted from the Air Marshall. He was to take military action and command the gathered forces, but he must remain where he was as he is too valuable of personnel to have near the battlefield. While he stayed behind, it would be Galland to take his place. She would command his forces while he has a better view of the situation and order Galland what to do. But in the end, it was Adolfine Galland who had ultimate control over the largest gathered military personal ever recorded in history. The skies slowly cast its shadow on the fields as cloud brushed in and deny passage of light. Some though perhaps it was an omen, but mere superstition about clouds coming will not dissuade the witch general from performing her very best. As she watched the armies move, her name was called out from behind her. She slightly turned so that she can see who called her while at the same time keep her attention on her forces navigating through the fields. She didn't need a good look at the person for her to tell that it was Group Captain Edytha Neumann standing behind her holding up a clip board in her hands. Her eyes seem tactical and cold, just like they always were to those who have worked under her.

"I thought you would be up there with the other witches." Galland commented.

"Normally, I would, but I have been ordered from General Rommel to stay behind and to act as your advisor." She replied. Galland can sense that she wanted to be up there, but she knows that she was too much of a stickler for rules and regulation to act on her own will.

"You could join them, you know. I won't tell." She suggested.

"I have my orders." Neumann coldly responded to her suggestion.

"Well, anyway, what brings you here?" Galland inquired.

"I came to report on the situation. Our air units have detected massive amounts of enemy movements not only from the ground, but also in the skies. Estimated time before engagement is five minutes." She stated bluntly, but Galland can tell that she was uneasy about the situation. She would never show it, but just by the way she talked, she could tell the difference. Galland kept her sights on the horizon.

"How are our air division holding up?"

"They seem prepared, albeit they are nervous. Wing Commander Wilcke has managed to calm them down." Neumann reported.

"What can you tell me about the enemy?" Galland inquired of the Group Captain.

"There is not a lot of information about the enemy. All we do know from intercepting their transmissions is their name. Other than that, they are very powerful as they utilized plasma-based weaponry." Neumann replied while looking at the results from what Karlsland scientist have determined.

"I see… Still, it kind of makes you wonder what exactly were they exiled from." She indulged Neumann.

"Maybe it is just a name; nothing to it." she answered.

"I don't know about that. I have the feeling that they came from something much larger and more deadly than what we are facing today. Maybe it is a good thing that we are facing them instead of what they fractured from." She commented still looking out into the horizon. The Group Captain remained silent, feeling no need to respond to her comment about today. Neumann moved in front of her to get a better view of the advancing forces. She looked over at Galland and realized that she was staring out in the horizon intently. It was quite odd as there was nothing to be seen other than the advancing forces.

"Air Marshall, you keep looking out into the horizon. What exactly are you looking at?" she asked.

"I know there is no way of proving it since my magical ability won't see that far, but I have the feeling that I am looking at the commander of the enemy army. And he is doing the same." She answered.

Switching the view point a few kilometers North, a massive military force the likes humanity has never seen began deploying their infantry units along with their armor divisions. The witches opposing this force didn't know much about where they came from, and why they are here. The only thing they do know is their name.

The Banished.

Another piece of information they knew about this new advisory was that their weaponry was far superior than anything they have as they utilized plasma-based weaponry. It wasn't long before The Banished began to mobilize their units towards the battlefield. At the very front of their army consisted of dozens of Type-32 and Type-25 Rapid Assault Vehicles all speeding towards their enemies. People who have witnessed these vehicles in action have given them the nicknames Ghost and Choppers. Each of the drivers of the vehicles were veterans as they have much experience in massacring their enemies with brute force. Some stayed behind as they were tasked with guarding the stronger, but cumbersome, Type-26 Assault Gun Carriages, also known as Wraiths. There were around a few dozens of these plasma-bombarding mechanized vehicles being protected and escorted by two Ghost and Choppers. Alongside with the Wraiths, The Banished also deployed several Type-30 Light Excavation/Anti-Fortification Platforms and Reavers, giant walker-type vehicles that were armed with several rocket pod attached to its body. Behind all the light and heavy vehicles were the infantry forces. The infantry consisted of Jiralhanae leading squads of Unggoy. The Jiralhanae would carry a Type-25 Directed Energy Rifle while the Unggoy carry the Type-25 Directed Energy Pistol. There choice of weapon would vary as some high-ranking Jiralhanae would instead use their races signature weapon, the Type-2 Energy Hammer. Some Unggoy would carry around a Type-33 Light Anti-Armor Weapon. The Jiralhanae were teeming with anticipation as they delighted in the thought of smashing their opponents into a bloody pulp with their weapons. Once could say the sound of bones breaking and screams intensifying were music to their ears, giving them the appropriate name Brutes. Just thinking about crushing their bones with a hammer is titillating enough for some Jiralhanae to speed up, leaving their grunt squads behind and forcing them to catch up as failing to do so would result in harsh punishment. Among the Jiralhanae were also their much-more tempered counterparts, the Sangheili. They also led squadrons of Unggoy to battle much like the Brutes, but unlike them, they didn't flourish in the idea of combat as much as the Brutes. They remained calmed and collect as mindlessly going into battle with bloodlust will surely ensure their death. Some of them carried around the Type-25 Directed Energy Rifle while other had the Type-33 Light Anti-Armor Weapon, but those Sangheili with a high rank march into battle with their most-sacred weapon, the Type-1 Energy Sword. Also present in The Banished's ranks were the Mgalekgolo as multiple pairs of these giant beast ran towards the battlefield. Some would attach themselves to selected Sangheili/Jiralhanae squadrons while others remained independent. The Banished also utilized the use of special units. An example of this would be several Jiralhanae armed with Type-2 Energy Hammers along with jump packs. Some Sangheili Rangers would stay far away from the front lines and instead take high grounds to allow them to pick off enemy forces with their Type-50 Sniper Rifle Systems. The ground forces of The Banished were more than ready for combat as many of their forces, exception with a few Unggoy, marched through the fields with confidence and determination.

The Banished's Air support was also a threat that is not to be underestimated. The skies were swarming with hundreds of aerial vehicles, most of which consisted of Type-26 Ground Support Aircraft. Each fifteen groups of Type-26 were led by a veteran ace as his Type-26 had a different color scheme. These types of aircraft were lightly armored, and could be taken down with ease if shot continuously, but having hundreds of them all in one place more-than-likely make up for that flaw. Accompanying them were the Type-25 Troop Carriers. Heavily armored and could withstand a few rockets, these troop carriers would not only be beneficial in the skies, but could also deploy forces on the ground. Some of them were carrying either one Wraith or two Ghost or Choppers as their first task was to deploy troop. Flying along with the Type-26 and Type-25 were the Blisterbacks. These anti-ground and anti-air vehicles used a propulsion system on each of its six legs to allow them to fly around. Once it has found a strategic spot, it will land gently and will follow up by pop open it body, revealing six missile pods that can target and lock on to ground vehicles and aircraft. This type of vehicle required a low-altitude flight, so two Ground Support Aircraft were to accompany the Blisterbacks.

Standing on top of a hill, there stood one Jiralhanae. This one was big, bigger than the other Brutes. He had night-black fur all around his body, but most was covered by his armor, which consisted of various other armors as some pieces didn't match up, signifying that this Jiralhanae decorates his armor with the spoils of war from previous battles. His amber-colored eyes watched his forces mobilize through the fields. The name of this certain Jiralhanae was Atriox, the leader of The Banished. Unlike his Brute brethren, he was not only stronger than them, but he was considered to be intelligent, cunning as he can outwit his opponents in battle, a trait that is exceedingly rare in the Jiralhanae species. He was much more cunning and intelligent than everybody else that it could be consider an insult to address him as a Brute as his skills as a tactician could dissuade others from using that accurate nickname. He stood on top of the hill with his signature weapon resting upon his right shoulder, the Chain Breaker. In his past, he has dealt with many Spartan's before. He has even beaten a few, but never has he faced an advisory like this. Though they may be small and young, the witches have proven to be excellent combatants, more so than what most other humans he has faced. The sounds of footstep could be heard, but he did not need to turn around as he already knew who is was.

"Decimus, what have you to report." He inquired of his second in command.

"The humans are mustering up a force much larger than expected. They out number us two to one." He informed him.

"It shouldn't be a problem. More forces shall arrive from the Conviction as the battle wears on. Besides, Overconfidence in our opponents could prove beneficial to us as the humans become arrogant when they see a false victory within their grasp. It is only a matter of time." Atriox answered, confident in his response

"Of all of my experience with the humans, I have never seen such warriors. Are you sure that they can put up a fight?" He asked feeling that he could go over there and decimate their forces.

"Looks can be deceiving, Decimus. Yes, they don't look battle capable, but I assure you, they are experienced nonetheless, and that could be our undoing if we were to underestimate them. However, if done correctly, then I can expose them and prove that they are merely humans, not gods from another realm as many of our forces have spoken. I will prove that these… little witches are nothing more than pathetic humans." He answered, wielding his weapon over so that he has it grasped with two hand, activing it as multiple blades began to shoot out from the weapon while a red, radiant energy engulfed the tip of his weapon.

"I will keep your words in mind." Decimus responded. Before Decimus had to return to his previous position, he had check up on a few things. While he did this, Atriox continued to look out into the horizon, feeling the sensation that he was being watched.

"That human female general..." he started.

"Yes, what about her." Decimus inquired.

"She out there, commanding the human forces." He ended. Decimus remained silent as to not want to interrupt Atriox. "Even with her skills as a leader, her forces will fall to us, and I will personally see to it that I see her life fade away from her body when my Chain breaker smashes every bone in her body."

Before anything else could happen, Decimus communication began to act up. Though Atriox could not hear what was being said, he can tell the other side of that transmission was panicking. Going back to the other side of the battlefield, Galland also got similar reports coming in. The people on the other were also in a state of panic. Whatever each side was worried about, both leaders would learn why they were panicking. Both leaders turned to the west as something caught their interest. The sight they were greeted with was unpleasant as something black hovered over the mountain range. There is only one thing that is large enough and black that would cover the mountains.

It was a Neuroi hive.

It was rather small compared to the ones over Karlsland and Orussia, but a hive is still something to fear. Multiple Neuroi began to be summoned from the hive as large-class, medium-class and others fell from the black, swirling mist. Soon, it appeared like multiple dozens of Neuroi of varying classes were out in the open, preparing themselves to engage both the witches and The Banished. Out on the ground, the floor was covered in a black carpet of swarming land Neuroi. Just like the ones in the sky, their sizes also varied from large to small. Nobody has ever seen a Neuroi force like this. If this wasn't the largest battle before, it sure was now as now there were three sides: humanity, The Banished, and Neuroi. And everybody knew that only one of these sides will reign supreme over the other. Galland immediately turned to the Group Captain.

"Group Captain, Get me in contact with every unit on this battle field. I want to tell everybody to prepare themselves for the fight of their lives. I want them to know that all their training, their hardships, their efforts have led to this moment. It is time to show the Neuroi and this Banished that humanity will not succumb to any hostile force. We will win, no matter the cost." She declared. Neumann saluted the Air Marshall before she left to carry out her order. On the other side of the battlefield, Atriox only gripped his weapon harder upon this new development. He, likewise, turned to Decimus for his new orders.

"Decimus, inform all units to prepare for another hostile force. It doesn't matter whether our opponent is either human or these 'Neuroi,' we will crush anything that stands in our way. By the end of all this, we, The Banished, will rain triumphant over our enemies, whether human of Neuroi." He declared.

It was now only a matter of time as each side waited to see who would make the first move. They were only one kilometer apart before official contact would be made. Everybody waited, until humanity decided to break the ice. One of the Tiger units raised on of its cannons, pointing it down the middle between the Neuroi and The Banished. She didn't know which side to attack first as both were equally viable targets. She waited for a few seconds before she ultimately decided her target. She adjusted her cannon to point towards her target, raised it to a twenty-degree angle, before she took the shot, sparking off the largest, and quite possibly, the deadliest battle ever encountered on Earth.


End file.
